If I Have Forever
by nishikaze
Summary: Inuyasha & Co. visit a village that is plagued by demons that can not die. There they meet a strange new ally who shows them how to kill the beasts, but he has too much in common with these ‘demons’ and an agenda of his own. Revised
1. Author Notes

If I Have Forever

An Inuyasha / Mermaid Saga crossover by Nishikaze

Author's Notes

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mermaid Saga, please don't pass over this story. You don't really need to know much about the Mermaid Saga story to follow the plotline of this fiction. What you do need to know (or rather what might help you understand the story better) is below.

1.) The Mermaid Saga is a series of short horror/ romance stories written by Rumiko Takahashi during the '80's and early '90's as a hobby. There are a lot of aspects to this series that influenced her later work of Inuyasha. If you like Inuyasha you will most likely enjoy Mermaid Saga. (Viz is re-releasing it.)

2.) Mermaids in Japanese folklore are not like the mermaids in Western myths. They are horrible man-eating monsters, immortal and able to look like human women. If a mortal man was to eat their flesh they are given immortal life. However that immortality comes at a horrible price. Not everyone can and will achieve immortality. Most die, for the flesh is a horrible poison. Some become hideous, mindless, immortal monsters called 'Lost Souls'. But for the rare human who does become immortal, longevity is itself a curse. How do you keep from losing your soul when you continually watch the people you love grow old and die around you while you don't age a day?__

3.) The story follows the travels of a young-looking man, cursed with immortal life. He is forever alone as he searches for a way to become mortal again.__

4.) The beginning Mermaid Saga starts around the 'Warring States' period, about the same time as Inuyasha, but I will be taking a little artistic license by placing it about 80 years before Kagome frees Inuyasha from Kikyo's curse. __

All other important questions will be answered in the story. Please enjoy, and feel free to review!__


	2. Blood and Brine

His heart pounded, pumping adrenaline through his veins. He was getting used to the sensation, for though he was not born into the warriors' life, he had quickly learned to adapt. Conscious thought faded and instinct began to kick in. The need to live, to survive had become all-encompassing as he faced the grizzly monster responsible for the deaths of so many villagers.

His spear was gripped in hands slick with sweat, as he leapt forward to block a blow meant for one of his companions. The horrible, fowl-smelling beast slashed down, easily breaking the simple spear with its attack. He side-stepped the blow and keeping the halves of the broken spear as weapons, he attacked again. The beast was distracted for just a moment by a harpoon cutting into its side. The man thrust forward, using the sharp edge of the broken piece of wood to stab into the beast. It howled in pain and swung its massive arm blindly, catching the man and throwing him back.

He landed hard but quickly rolled to his feet. When the beast turned its attention to another man who stabbed him with a second harpoon, he screamed out, "An axe! Someone toss me an axe!" Before anyone could respond, he rushed forward, picking up a discarded knife on his way back to the beast. Using the harpoons in the monster's back he pulled himself up, and stabbed down hoping to catch its neck.

He wasn't fast enough. The beast grabbed him with one of its massive hands and pulled him off, tossing him aside as if he weighted no more than a young girl's doll. Rolling with the blow again, he shakily got back up on his feet. Looking up he could do nothing but watch as one of his companions was gutted by the beast. Blood sprayed everywhere, making the grass slick and staining it red. He could hear the dying gurgle of the man as he crumpled. Stepping over the slain man, the monster brought its clawed hand down to kill another of the companions.

The man sprang forward, hoping to deflect the blow. Instead the beast redirected his attack, slashing him instead, cutting him down easily. Darkness filled his vision as he fell to the ground, immobile and unable to get up. As his life's blood poured from his wounds, his last sensation before the numbing black overcame him was the horror – filled screams of his other companions.

* * *

If I Have Forever 

An Inuyasha / Mermaid Saga crossover fan fiction by nishikaze

Acknowledgement: Both Series are written by the great Takahashi, I am only borrowing them.

Chapter One: Blood and Brine

* * *

They were nearing the ocean; he could smell the brine tickling his nose. He didn't remember seeing the ocean all that often; he had a tendency to stay away, not liking the unending quality of it. It made him feel tiny and insignificant in comparison and he never did like to feel inferior to anything. The thought was beginning to put him in a fowl mood. 

It was a bright day, warm and sunny... a good day to travel. Not that it mattered much. Rain or shine, they were always traveling, always in search of another jewel shard.

"Lady Kagome, are you feeling anything? Which way shall we go from here?" Miroku, Kagome and the others had come to a crossroads and the group didn't know which way to turn, turning to Kagome and her ability to sense the jewel shard whenever they had to.

_They can't smell it yet, can they? They have no idea how close we are to the ocean._ Inuyasha snorted.

Kagome, walking her bicycle rather than riding it, looked around her, focusing on the jewel. "I think we should go this way,"

_Of course... she's pointing to the damn ocean._

"Then that is the way we shall go." Miroku replied cheerfully, and turned down the path she had pointed out. "Do you feel a shard?"

"Yes, I think so. But it's fairly faint."

Inuyasha sighed in annoyance. _Here we go again_. "Let's go. I don't wanna be standing here all night."

They had traveled the road Kagome had indicated for only an hour when the others began to notice the terrain change. The forest thinned out as the soil turned sandy. It was Kagome who first made the connection. "Inuyasha... Do you smell the ocean?"

"So ya finally figured it out, huh?" Inuyasha rubbed his nose in annoyance.

"You know Inuyasha; we do not have your keen sense of smell. If you knew we were coming to the ocean you could have told us." Miroku chastised.

"Feh... What difference does it make? A path is a path and a shard is a shard." Kagome just rolled her eyes and stayed silent.

Shippo perked up from where he sat in the basket of Kagome's bicycle. "The ocean? I've never seen the ocean before. What's it like?"

Kagome smiled, sometimes it still seemed so odd to her, despite all the time she spent in the past, at how little her companions knew about the world beyond Japan, "Well, it's a big body of water that you can't see past. The waves can get high sometimes and the water... well you'll find out soon enough Shippo."

Miroku gave Sango a side glance, noticing her interest in Kagome's description, "Lady Sango, have you ever been the ocean before?"

Sango blinked and looked a little embarrassed at being caught eavesdropping. "No, my journeys have never taken me to the ocean before. This will be my first time seeing it too."

"Feh... All this fuss over water." Inuyasha thumbed his nose yet again and Miroku sighed.

They followed the path for a short distance longer when Inuyasha stopped short, sniffing the air. Kagome was the first to notice his pause. "Inuyasha?"

"I smell blood. Just ahead." He took off running, quickly outdistancing the others. He had just broken through the tree line when the grisly scene he was met with made him stop short. A small party of men had been massacred, their bodies horribly mutilated, shredded by massive claws. Various sharp tools and harpoons lay scattered around the corpses, used as makeshift weapons against the beast that had slain them. The harpoons were bloody as were a few ax heads. _At least they got a piece of it._ Inuyasha thought grimly.

Miroku was the first to catch up, the others right behind him. He stopped suddenly, momentarily taken aback by the carnage of the scene. He studied the bodies noting their wounds and their clothing. "They were probably fishermen from a nearby village. What killed them? A demon perhaps?"

Stepping out from behind Miroku, Sango shook her head. "Maybe, but whatever it was it got away. I can see footprints and there's a lot of blood, but it could all be the villager's." She shook her head in disgust. "Whatever it was, these men didn't stand a chance."

Inuyasha covered his nose. Kagome turned to him. "You smell something don't you?"

"These bodies reek of rotting fish. It's enough to make me sick."

Kagome shrugged, "Well they were fishermen."

Miroku knelt by a body of an older man his chest gaping open, his head almost completely ripped from his shoulders, "Well we should at least give these men a proper burial before continuing on. Then we should follow the tracks, they may lead to the Shikon Jewel Shard."

Sango nodded her head, "I agree. Kirara and I will try and follow the trail while it's still fresh. We'll come back for you when we've found its lair." Kirara small form expanded and grew in size and power. Sango and the demon-cat Kirara followed the trail of blood and footprints away from the bodies. The terrain was rocky and the soil sandy. The path of blood trail led away from the established road and toward a series of cliffs, dropping down to the shore.

As Miroku prepared to bury the dead, Shippo heard a groan coming from one of the bodies. He jumped up and ran towards Miroku. "Over there! I think one of them might still be alive!" He squeaked.

One of the bodies _had_ moved... the body of a young man struggled to sit up. Gaining strength with every passing moment, he got his feet under him and stood, looking over at the battle scene and the group of companions. He was dressed like the others in simple garb, his long hair tied back off his face. He was covered in blood and gore and his short kimono was badly ripped. He looked as if he had bled out, though he had no wounds they could see. Miroku, Shippo and Kagome stood in horror. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. Kagome was the first to snap out of her trance, and she stepped forward. "Are you alright?" Her voice was shaky, but her words were clear.

The young man took in their looks of horror and glanced down at his torso. He smiled ruefully. "I must really look horrible huh?" Then his eyes caught the terribly mangled corpses around him. He smiled faded to a look of quiet grief. "Shit." He swore.

Miroku stepped forward. "Perhaps you should sit down. Are you wounded?"

He turned his eyes to the monk, "No... Not badly. I'm fine."

Inuyasha snorted, "You sure as hell don't look fine."

The man shook his head, his eyes widened at the site of the half dog demon addressing him. "It's not my blood." He didn't meet his gaze. He turned to Miroku. "Good monk... Would you please be so kind as to say a prayer for the dead?"

Miroku nodded. "I was about to. We were also going to bury these men, before we moved on."

The man shook his head. "That isn't necessary, thank you. Their village is just ahead. Their families would want to bury them."

"_Their_ village?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes... I was traveling through the area looking for work a few weeks ago when I came to their village. When they asked for volunteers to hunt a local demon I agreed to help. The creature had been plaguing the area for some time, killing people and animals."

Miroku nodded, "Do you know anything about this demon?"

The man averted his eyes, focusing on the bodies of the men. "I know it came from the sea and it's really tough to kill."

"Anything else?" Miroku pressed.

The man shrugged, "Not really."

Inuyasha's eyes raked over the man. He smelled of blood and dead fish, but it wasn't just his body that reeked. "So how did you survive?"

This time the young man did meet Inuyasha's eyes, "Just lucky I guess."

Inuyasha snorted and was about to respond when Kagome cut him off. "I'm Kagome. The monk is Miroku and this is Inuyasha." She pointed to him and then at Shippo. "And he's Shippo. We were traveling through the area looking for demons. We hunt them."

"Among other things," Inuyasha mumbled to himself. Kagome shot him a sharp look.

The young man, his eyes widening at Kagome's strange attire, nodded. "Well you found one I guess. If you're any good the village would be glad to have your help. I'm Yuta."

It was then that Sango and Kirara came back to the others.

Inuyasha turned to Sango, eagerness for a fight in his eyes. "So... Did ya find it?"

Sango shook her head. "We followed the path for awhile before the blood trail just stopped. We lost the tracks too, they were hard to find again once we got to the cliffs." She looked up at Yuta, slightly startled at his appearance. Her eyes narrowed as she studied his face and his attire. He was about as tall as Miroku with the hard build of a man not used to a comfortable life. His longish hair was pulled back of his face, or would have been had much of it not escaped the leather thong meant to bind it back. He might have been handsome but it was hard to tell under the dirt and blood. The amount of dried blood that covered his form was staggering. _He doesn't even look hurt... is it not his blood?_

Kagome introduced them. "Sango this is Yuta. He's a traveler who the villager's recruited to help them kill the demon responcible for plagueing a nearby village. Yuta, this is Sango and Kirara." Yuta nodded in acknowledgement. His face was easy to read... _What a strange group._

Miroku finished his prayers and stood. "It's getting late; perhaps we should try and find this village before it gets dark." He turned to Yuta. "Is it far?"

He shook his head, "No. It's this way." He led them off down a winding, narrow road and the other's gathered their gear and followed.

Inuyasha watched Yuta's back as he walked, his mind troubled. Noticing his grim expression Kagome pulled her bike along side of him, "What's wrong? Something's bothering you."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed. He paused before he answered her softly, drawing closer to her so the others wouldn't hear. "There's something not quiet right about him and his story. I don't trust him."

Kagome shook her head. "I don't understand."

Inuyasha gestured in frustration, unable to explain his uneasy feeling. "Just watch yourself around him." He caught another whiff of dead fish that had him thumbing his nose in annoyance again.

It wasn't long before the companions came to the little fishing village by the ocean. Most of the houses were sheltered by cliffs, a safe distance from the tide waters of the little bay. A few store houses lay near the sandy shore. Only a handful of boats remained on the beach, though many boats approached the shore filled with fish and fishermen, returning from their daily trip into the sea. Yuta led the companions up to the cliff houses, and toward the largest of the buildings. A few women worked outside their homes and children played in the spaces between the houses. It was one of the women who first caught site of the group. She was young, with an infant tied to her back. She was carrying a jug of water when she gasped in shock, dropping her jug. "Kami-sama! What...?"

Another, older woman looked up. Her face paled as her eyes found Yuta. She stood quickly and screamed. "Headman!" She ran towards the largest of the buildings. By this time the other village women had stopped their chores and were staring at the group. Yuta sighed. "I will talk to the headman. He needs to be told the results of the hunt and your purpose here. It's probably better if I go alone. Wait here and I'll come back for you." Yuta turned and followed the old woman.

He was gone for over an hour and as the party watched the men of the village returned from the sea and the sun sank low in the sky, finally Yuta returned to the companions with a man following closely behind. It was the headman of the village, a middle-aged man whose body was shaped by a hard life on the ocean. His hands were rough and badly scarred and his face was dark from the sun, but his body was tall and well muscled. He addressed the party in a weary voice, "My village is small and plagued with misfortune but we will do our best to make you feel comfortable here. We will give you food and a place to sleep, but I must ask a boon in return." His tired eyes turned to Yuta. "I have been told that you all are demon hunters... My village has been plagued with them for a few weeks now. Please help us. So many of us have died already and it seems there is nothing more we can do. We will pay as best we can..."

Sango saw Miroku's eyes light up for just a moment at the mention of payment. She cleared her throat. "Sir, food and lodging will be enough. We would be happy to help any way we can." A brief scan of her companions showed her that they were all in agreement, even Miroku who gave a resigned sigh.

"Then so be it. Yuta can show you to the home of a lost man. He is staying their also. Again it isn't much, but it should be comfortable." He turned to Yuta, "It is too late to recover our dead tonight. We dare not leave the village after dark. We will leave first thing tomorrow morning." Yuta nodded and the headman turned and walked away.

He turned to the party, "Follow me." He led them to a small hut on the outskirts of the village. It was small but well made and would be just big enough to house the party comfortably. He rummaged through his meager belongings for just a moment, pulling out a change of clothes. "I'm going to clean up. I'll be back soon. The headman promised to send some food down to us. It shouldn't take long." He left them standing in front of the hut.

The food was simple, grilled fish and rice but there was plenty of it, enough to satisfy the weary travelers. Yuta returned clean and dressed and everyone ate their fill. Conversation was light for awhile but the lateness of the day overcame them and it wasn't long before all decided to retire. As the moon rose high in the sky and the village settled down for the night the only sound and scent was the sea.

It was the darkest hour of the night when they heard it; the low, bone-chilling howl of an inhuman beast coming from the shore. Inuyasha snapped up from where he slept, propped up against the wall of the shack. He was out the door in a heartbeat. As soon as he stepped outside he caught the overwhelming stench of rotting fish and blood. As the others filed out behind him, his sharp eyes caught the hulking form of a creature, approaching the village from the ocean shore. It was tall, at least 7 feet in height, with long arms ending in clawed hands. It was covered with skin the sickly dark green color of rotting seaweed. Its head was large with a gaping mouth filled with razor sharp teeth and bulbous, red-rimmed eyes. It howled again sending shivers down the spines of the human companions.

For all it looked like a demon, instinct told Inuyasha something wasn't quite right about the beast. "What the fuck is that thing?"

Yuta replied in a calm low voice, "It's an abomination. A Lost Soul."

* * *

Inuyasha and company defeat this 'Lost Soul' easily... or do they? What does thiscreature want with the villagers and why does Yuta know so much about them? 

Next Chapter: Lost Souls

Thank you to the one person who reviewed my story. It was much appreciated! Now if only a few other people would review it...

What do I gotta do...? Beg?


	3. Lost Souls

It was the darkest hour of the night when they heard it; the low, bone-chilling howl of an inhuman beast coming from the shore. Inuyasha snapped up from where he slept, propped up against the wall of the shack. He was out the door in a heartbeat. As soon as he stepped outside he caught the overwhelming stench of rotting fish and blood. As the others filed out behind him, his sharp eyes caught the hulking form of a creature, approaching the village from the ocean shore. It was tall, at least 7 feet in height, with long arms ending in clawed hands. It was covered with skin the sickly dark green color of rotting seaweed. Its head was large with a gaping mouth filled with razor sharp teeth and bulbous, red-rimmed eyes. It howled again sending shivers down the spines of the human companions.

For all it looked like a demon, instinct told Inuyasha something wasn't quite right about the beast. "What the fuck is that thing?"

Yuta replied in a calm low voice, "It's an abomination. A Lost Soul."

* * *

If I Have Forever 

An Inuyasha / Mermaid Saga crossover by nishikaze

Chapter Two: Lost Souls

* * *

Inuyasha half turned toward Yuta, "A what...?" 

Yuta's eyes never left the raging beast. "Kill it." He dashed toward a storage shed between the little hut and the monster. Kicking open the door he entered emerging seconds later with a harpoon and a knife.

Inuyasha wasn't paying attention. Taking up the Tetsusaiga he rushed the creature, bent on destroying it quickly before it entered the village. He swung the mighty fang, slashing open its chest. Black blood gushed from the wound as it collapsed to the sand. As Yuta and the others caught up to him, Inuyasha turned his back on the creature, his eyes searching for Kagome. "Does it have the shard?"

Yuta screamed as the beast climbed back to it feet, "NOT DEAD!" He tackled Inuyasha, saving him from a swipe of the Lost Souls massive claws. Inuyasha, taken by surprise was easily brought down by Yuta's tackle. Before the beast could strike at the two in their vulnerable position on the ground, Kirara attacked, giving them just enough time to roll out of harm's way.

As Kirara wrestled with the Lost Soul, Inuyasha turned on Yuta, "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Didn't I tell you they are hard to kill! Look!" He pointed to the beast. The wound Inuyasha had delivered was grievous, no mortal man or demon could have survived it. The beast had been cut long, chin to groin and deeply, cutting most of its major organs. As Inuyasha watched it struggle with the giant demon cat Kirara, the wound healed before his eyes, becoming nothing but a memory.

"What the... How the hell do you kill that thing? It should be dead!"

"Take its head! If you don't it'll just keep regenerating!"

"It's head? Fine. Clear out." Yuta backed off as Inuyasha stood up. As soon as she saw Yuta and Inuyasha were clear, Kirara instinctively leap away. Inuyasha rushed the beast in an inhuman burst of speed. Before the beast could turn, Inuyasha attacked, separating its head from its body. Its head flew free, landing several feet from the body that gruesomely moved as if to complete its turn before collapsing to the ground at Inuyasha's feet.

"Kami-sama." Sango's gasp pierced the silence following the destruction of the beast. "That was no normal demon."

"I'm not sure it was a demon at all," Turning his attention from the corpse to Yuta, Miroku studied the man whose own gaze was turned away from him. He watched him for a moment before turning to Kagome. "This creature didn't have the shard, did it?" It was more of a statement than a question.

Kagome was about to answer when a scream pierced the night, originating from the other side of the village.

Yuta was the first to act. "This way!" He ran up the cliff face path back toward the village. Inuyasha quickly overtook him and pulled out ahead, easily outdistancing the rest of the party. For the most part the village remained untouched except for one building that had been shredded, its occupants long gone. Just outside the small house lay a body of a young man. One look at his mutilated corpse and the party could see he was dead before he had hit the ground. The party entered the house and immediately saw the evidence of a struggle, a little blood, but no more bodies. Inuyasha smelled the blood, and, "Dead fish." He said as he thumbed his nose in annoyance.

Yuta was distraught as he examined the scene. "I... I don't understand. They're not acting right. Where are the bodies?"

Sango turned to him, "What don't you understand? It looks like the family who lived here was kidnapped. The real question is why?"

Yuta ran his hand through his hair in annoyance and frustration, "Why? Lost Souls are exactly that. They've lost all intelligence and act like rabid beasts. They kill... they don't kidnap. It's almost as if the Lost Soul we fought was a distraction."

"He's right," Miroku stood where he had been examining a torn wall.

Inuyasha punched his hand though a wooden beam in frustration. "So what the hell is going on here?"

"And why would these 'rabid beasts' kidnap a family? Unless something else took them... but what about the trap? Could you be wrong about them, Yuta?" Kagome asked.

Yuta through out his arms. "I don't know, until now I've never seen them act this way."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, "Ya know... You seem to know an awful lot about these things. Care to explain why?"

Yuta turned to look at Inuyasha, meeting his gaze. "I told you... I've been hunting them for the village. I've studied their habits as best I could." He sighed. "Look... We'd best try and track them now, or the family is dead."

"They could already be dead, but I agree." Miroku stepped outside the ruined hut. "This is the best opportunity we have to follow them to their lair. Sango... Can you and Kirara follow the trail?"

"If she can't, I can," Inuyasha scratched his nose, "The scent is fresh."

Yuta grabbed a few harpoons and torches and the companions left the village following the trail into the cliffs by the sea. Sango turned to Yuta. "I don't get it? Are they coming from the ocean?"

"No," Said Yuta, with a degree of certainty in his voice. "There are a number of caves in the sea-side cliffs; most are very dangerous because of tides. At low tide they empty out into the ocean but at high tide they fill with water making them death traps for anyone unfortunate enough to be inside them. Some of the caves higher in the cliffs never fill unless there is a storm or Tsunami. That would be an ideal place for them to go."

Sure enough it wasn't long before Kirara and Inuyasha's nose leads them to a cave high in the cliffs. Inuyasha was nearly overcome by the stench inside the cave. He covered his nose and entered.

The cave was dark, so dark the party was forced to light a torch to guide them. The natural path was narrow and slippery from the heavy sea air, but as the path slopped down it seemed to grow wider. They had just rounded a corner when Inuyasha, who had led the party into the cavern, stopped short. Lying in a small, stagnate tidal pool lay the corpse of _something_. A headless something.

There was very little blood despite its headless state and it lay half in and half out of the pool. The top of the body was that of a nubile young woman. The bottom half was a fishlike tail. The head was no where to be found. It was dead, that much was obvious, but the body was pristine. No blood-stains, bruises or cuts marred the ivory skin of the creature and the cut that took the head was clean. Inuyasha's voice was filled with confusion when he spoke, "It doesn't stink... It should be rotting, it should at least smell like dead fish but it doesn't... What is that thing?" For the second time that night he was forced to ask that question. The entire situation was beginning to seriously annoy him. Demons he knew how to fight, but this...?

Yuta pushed his way to the front of the group and Kagome could see his face grow pale as he viewed the corpse. "I was expecting this..." His whispered comment was almost unnoticed, in a louder voice he told the companions, "_That_ is the body of a dead mermaid. And _that_ is the source of all our problems."

It was then that a blood-curdling howl echoed through the cave followed by the scream of a woman. Miroku spoke, "We're running out of time."

* * *

Another chapter finally completed. Somebody please review. My story isn't that bad is it? 

What is that thing in the cave and why is Yuta convinced it's the key to everything? What could be worse than a Lost Soul?

Next Chapter: Dead Mermaids


End file.
